Mechanism behind the formation of self-assembled nano-sized clusters in Diamond-like carbon nanocomposite

Abstract

Many studies have shown that Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with diversified material properties are obtainable through doping process but the presence of the dopants were reported to form independent nanoclusters within the carbon matrix. Using combined analysis from theoretical estimations (Saha's equation and coefficient of absorption, α p), Transport of Ions In Matter (TRIM) simulation and experimental results, this work examined the mechanism behind the formation of self-assembled nanoclusters in DLC nanocomposite. We showed that the presence of metal dopants increased the heat dissipation on DLC, which allowed the energetic metal species to diffuse and enhance the formation of nanoclusters that increased the surface roughness of the films. In addition, TRIM and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) hinted the presence of energetic species may force the carbon ions to react with the interface to form silicon carbide bonds, which may be a more dominant factor compared to internal stress reduction in improving the adhesion strength of DLC. Copyright © 2011 American Scientific Publishers All rights reserved.